Electric contacts

ABSTRACT

This invention is an electrical connector for receiving and contacting a mating electrical connector such as a printed circuit board. The connector has a contact element including a terminal portion which is kept in a rigid, well-defined position and a contact portion which is moveable in order to provide proper contact with the mating electrical connector. The connector has a body of insulating material having an opening for the mating electrical connector and has a slot intersecting the opening with the contact element disposed therein. The contact element has a positioning portion which is engageable with the mating electrical connector for automatically positioning the contact portion of the contact element against the contact surface of the mating electrical connector. In one embodiment of the invention, the contact element can be held in one of two different positions for making contact with the mating connector in one of two different positions.

United States Patent 1 Bouley [541 ELECTRIC CONTACTS [75] Inventor: JeanClaude Bouley, Jura, France [73] Assignee: Bunker Ramo Corporation, Oak

Brook, 111.

22 Filed: June 16,1971

211 App]. N0.: 153,574

[52] US. Cl ..339/2l7 R, 339/176 MP, 339/258 R [51] Int. Cl. ..H01r 9/08[58] Field of Search ..339/2l7, 17 L, 17 LM,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 May 8, 1973 PrimaryExaminer-Marvin A. Champion Assistant ExaminerRobert A. HaferAttorney-Frederick M. Arbuckle [57] ABSTRACT This invention is anelectrical connector for receiving and contacting a mating electricalconnector such as a printed circuit board. The connector has a contactelement including a terminal portion which is kept in a rigid,well-defined position and a contact portion which is moveable in orderto provide proper contact with the mating electrical connector. Theconnector has a body of insulating material having an opening for themating electrical connector and has a slot intersecting the opening withthe contact element disposed therein. The contact element has apositioning portion which is engageable with the mating electricalconnector for automatically positioning the contact portion of thecontact element against the contact surface of the mating electricalconnector. In one embodiment of the invention, the contact element canbe held in one of two different positions for making contact with themating connector in one of two different positions.

7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEWY ems BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1.Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the field ofelectric connectors, particularly connectors having terminals which mustbe kept in rigid well-defined positions, and having adaptable contactsfor providing electrical connection with mating connectors such ascircuit boards.

2. Description of the Prior Art Connectors according to the prior art'donot have both a rigid, well-defined terminal for connection withexternal Circuits and a contact which is adaptable to accommodatevariations in the actual dimensions and positioning at mating electricalconnectors.

There are prior art connectors which have contacts that are adaptable toaccommodate mating connectors, but these connectors have floatingterminals which are not rigidly held in a well-defined position.Previous connectors having rigidly positioned terminals do not haveadaptable contacts, and can be used only with mating connectors whichare properly and accurately positioned within the connector and whosedimensions closely match the dimensions of the connector in order toobtain reliable electrical contact.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide animproved electrical contact capable of providing reliable electricalconnection with mating electrical connectors.

It is another object of this invention to provide an electrical contactwhose base is rigidly fixed in an insulating body and whosecontact-portions are connected to the base by means of a resilient bladedisposed so that the contact portion automatically assumes a reliablecontacting position after insertion of the mating male connectorelement, so that a uniform contact pressure is maintained between-thecontact portion and the mating male connector even though the matingmale connector is not closely centered within the opening of thereceiving connector.

A further object of the invention is to provide a connector devicehaving a contact element which can assume two positions in the connectorslot. The connector element can assume a first position with respect tothe body of the electrical connector for establishing a first electricalcircuit connection with respect to the mating connector, or a secondposition for establishing a second electrical circuit connection.

According to the present invention, an electrical connector device isprovided having a body of insulating material with an opening forreceiving a mating electrical connector. The connector device has acontact element contained within a slot within the body and has aContact portion resiliently coupled to a base portion which is heldwithin the slot. A positioning portion of the contact element isengageable with the mating electrical connector for automaticallypositioning the contact portion to provide Contact with the matingelectrical connector. The contact element has a terminal portionextending through the body of the connector for making electricalconnection with an external circuit. Means are provided for holding theterminal portion fixedly with respect to the insulated body of theconnector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-section of aconnector and mating connector element according to the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a connector device according to a preferredembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view of a connector element according to a second preferredembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of a connector device according to a thirdpreferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of a connector device in which the contactelement is capable of assuming two positions according to a fourthpreferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of a connector device in which the contactelement is capable of assuming two positions according to a fifthpreferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a spacer suitable for use in theconnectors as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The prior art and the presentinvention will now be described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a typical connector of the prior art having a maleconnector element such as a circuit board I mounted therein. A U-shapedcontact element 6 having two arms 10 is mounted within a slot in aninsulated body 2. The contact arms 10 have contact portions 11 forcontacting the circuit board 1. The connector element 6 is held in theslot by two guides 9 and a catch 8 and has a connection terminal 7extending through the rear of the body 2.

The distance between the contact portions 11 depends upon the nominalthickness of circuit board 1 whose actual thickness will vary because ofmanufacturing tolerances. Likewise, the actual width of the opening 3which must be capable of accommodating circuit boards of maximumthickness with adequate clearance, will vary from a nominal dimensionbecause of manufacturing tolerances. When a circuit board of minimumthickness is introduced into the opening 3, as shown in FIG. 1, and theboard is in contact with one of the sides of opening 3, one of contactportions 11 is pushed away from the other contact portion 11 resultingin a clearance 12 between the conductors 5 on the circuit board and themating contact portion 1 1. In this situation, a proper electricalcontact will not be made.

Prior art connectors which do not have a terminal 7 rigidly mounted inbody 2 by catch 8 and guides 9 are not suitable for use with pinconnectors on a matrix board or for use with connectors for rolled upconnection or clips, since terminals which are closely positioned arerequired for these applications and the random movement of individualpins or clips to adapt to the manufacturing tolerances of the matingconnector precludes desirable close packing of contacts.

Prior attempts to obtain connectors having both a fixed terminal and anadaptable contact by providing flexibility in the U-shaped contactelement 6 have not been successful, since movement of the U-shapedcontact element to one side, to adapt to the mating connector, spreadsthe contact portions 11 apart but not uniformly with respect to bothsides of the mating connector, thus lowering the contact pressure on oneside of the mating connector'and hence decreasing the reliability of thecontact.

FIG. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the electrical connectoraccording to the present invention having a contact element 28 mountedin a body 24 of insulating material. A male connector element such as acircuit board or a pin is inserted into opening 26 of body 24. In orderto simplify the description, only the embodiment using a printed circuitboardwill be considered.

The printed circuit board 20 has a side 22 on which the conductors to beconnected are mounted, and a side 21 without any conductors. Bevelededges 23 may be provided to facilitate the insertion of the circuitboard into the opening 26.

Contact element 28 of electrically conductive material is mounted inslot 25 of the connector body 24 and intersects a rearwardly disposedportion of opening 26 at an angle of approximately 90. Contact element28 has a base and a rearward projecting terminal 29 suitable for makingconnections with an external electrical circuit. A rigid blade portion36 extends forwardly from the base 30 and terminates in a hook which isinserted into a mating notch 41 that is molded in the body 24. Hook 40is formed by bending blade 36 after contact 28 is inserted into slot 25.Edges 39 of base portion 30 are accommodated in recesses 42 of slot 25.In this manner, the base 30 and connecting terminal 29 are rigidlymounted in body 24. The contact element 28 has two arms 35 and 38 whichare joined to form a U-shape. A flexible blade portion 34 connects theforward extension of arm 35 to the upper portion of base 30 resilientlycoupling arms 35 and 38 to base 30. Similarly, a long resilient blade 37joins the forward end of rigid blade 36 with the rearward end of arm 35at location 43 adjacent to junction with central resilient blade whichis resiliently coupled to contact portion 32. An electrical contactportion 32 is provided on the forward end of arm 38, and a contactpositioning portion 31 is provided on the forward end of arm 35 with Iportions 31 and 32 being laterally spaced-apart and offset from the axisof opening 26 towards contact portion 31. The distance between contactportions 31 and 32 is defined by the contact pressure desired toguarantee a reliable connection. Blades 34 and 37 extend from respectiveadjacent sections of arms 35 and 38 in a side by side generally parallelrelationship to beyond each respective section to base 30.

Axis 57 is equally distant from contact portions 31 and 32 and isdisplaced from the symmetry axis longitudinal axis of the opening 26 ina direction towards internal face 46 of the opening.

Circuit board 20 may have beveled edges 23, and slot 26 may have bevelededges 27 on the forward portion in order to facilitate the insertion ofcircuit board 20 into slot 26.

When circuit board 20 is inserted into slot 26, the edge 23 engagesslope 33 at the upper end of arm 35.

The insertion force creates a reactive force which bends the resilientblade 34 until positioning portions 31 engages side 21 of circuit board20. Arm 35, which holds arm 38 at its lower portion, is rigid and is notdeformed. Therefore, electrical. contact portion 32 on arm 38 is kept atthe same distance from positioning portion 31. Resilient blade 37 whichis held by arm,35 does undergo some elastic deformation.

As the insertion of circuit board 20 is continue the distance betweenelectrical contact portion 32 and positioning portion 31 is increased bymeans of ramp 44 at the upper edge of arm 38 which undergoes elasticdeformation down to its junction with the base of rigid arm 35. Theelectrical contact portion 32 and the positioning portion 31 bearagainst sides 22 and 21 of circuit board 20. Axis 57 is shiftedsufficiently with respect to the axis of the slot 26 so that a circuitboard 20 of minimum thickness can establish contact with contact portion32 when side 22 comes in contact with internal face 46 of slot 26, asdescribed above.

In the modified embodiment of a contact element as shown in FIG. 3, abase 47 of the contact element can be twisted to hold it in the socketof the connector, and the U-shaped arms are joined with base 47 by asingle resilient blade 48.

In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 4, base 53 of the contact element ismounted in a body 49 so that shoulders 55 provided at the base engagecorresponding seats in the body. The intregal blades 52 of base 53 carrystubs 56 which are used as attachment members. A resilient blade 50joins the lower end of one of the arms of the contact element 51-withone of the blades 52. A terminal 54 extends from the base 53.

FIG. 5 shows a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 in whichthe contact element is capable of assuming two different positionswithin the body 133. Contact element 125 is mounted in slot 137 of body133 and consists of two arms joined to form a U-shaped element 126 whichis attached to base 127 by means ofa resilient blade 124.

Base 127 is inserted into slot 137 and is provided with two blades 128having stubs 131 which serve to hold the contact element 125 asexplained below. Base 127 has a rearward extension 123 which forms aterminal for external electrical connections.

When contact element 125 is in the rearward position as shown in FIG. 5,stubs 131 rest on rear recesses 139 provided in the wall of body 133,and the lower faces 141 of the stubs 131 are supported by shoulders 132.A setting clip or spacer 129 is mounted on extension 123 between recess134 and extension 123, so that the upper surface of the clip bearsagainst the bottom 136 of a groove 135 provided at the bottom of body133 (as shown in FIG. 6). Contact element 125 is held in its rearwardmovement, and by spacer 129 whose face 130 abuts the bottom 136 ofgroove 135 to prevent forward movement.

When the contact element is to be moved from the rearward position tothe forward position, the contact is pulled rearward by compressingblades 128 towards each other, the clip 129 is removed, and the contactelement is set in its forward position. Shoulders 142 of base 127 abutsupports 143 provided on the wall of body 133, and stubs 131 rest inrecess areas 140 with the lower surfaces 141 supported by shoulders 138as shown in FIG. 6. g

The distance between shoulders 132 and 138 is equal to the distancebetween surface 136 and support 143 less the thickness of base 127. Thedistance between shoulders 132 and 138 is sufficient to insure twoseparate settings suitable for either a first circuit position or asecond circuit position.

From the foregoing, it can be readily realized that this invention canassume various embodiments. Thus, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein,but is to be limited only by the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An electrical connector device for receiving and contacting a matingelectrical connector, comprising: a body of insulation material havingfront and rear ends, a connector opening extending longitudinally fromthe front end into said body with a longitudinal axis and a rearwardlydisposed portion, and a slot intersecting said portion of said openingand extending through the rear end of said body; a contact element ofelectrically conductive material including disposed in said slot a baseportion, a positioning portion, a contact portion, a U-shaped pair ofarms frontwardly supporting said positioning and contact portions, and along resilient blade portion resiliently coupling said pair of arms tosaid base portion and rigidly interconnected to said positioningportion, said positioning and contact portions being laterallyspaced-apart and offset towards the contact portion from the axis ofsaid opening so that said positioning portion is engageable with saidmating electrical connector for positioning said contact portion withinsaid opening to make electrical contact with said connector, said pairof arms including freeended upper portions separately joined to saidpositioning and contact portions and a central resilient bridge, one ofsaid arms rearwardly forming a junction with said resilient bridge andhaving said upper portion joined to said positioning portion, the othersaid arm including said bridge resiliently joined to said contactportions, said long resilient blade extending in a side by sidegenerally parallel relationship with at least a section of said arms andbeyond said section to said base portion providing a long couplinglength at least as long as said bridge portion.

2. The device in claim 1 wherein said means for holding comprises a pairof rigid blade portions projecting forwardly toward said front end witheach blade portion including a stub, and front and rear pairs ofrecesses in said body for retaining said stubs in two differentpositions and thereby said contact element in corresponding front andrear positions in said body.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2 including a spacer coupled to saidcontact element and abutting a cooperating surface on said body to keepsaid contact element in one of said two different positions.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient blade portionjoins said base with the upper portion of said one of said arms.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said base has a rigid bladeportion projecting forwardly toward said front end, and a secondresilient blade portion joining said rigid blade portion with said oneof said arms.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second resilient bladeis joined to said one of said arms adjacent the junction of said arms.

. The device as claimed 1n claim 1 wherein said base has a rigid bladeportion projecting forwardly toward said front end and said resilientblade extends from adjacent the junction of said arms to said rigidblade portion UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIONPatent No. 3,732,531 Dated May 8, 1973 Inventor(s) Jean Claude Bouley Itis certified that error appears in the aboveidentified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover, sheet insert the following:

- Foreign Application PIiOPlty Data:

June 22, 1970 France "YO/2303i; November 20, 1970 France "(O/A1863 Claim1, line 15, after "positioning portion, insert and means for holdingsaid base portion fixedly with respect to said body,

Signed and sealed this 26th day of March 197L (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents ORM PO-IOSO (10-69) uscoMM-Dc lO376-P69 U.S, GOVERNMENT PRINTINGOFFICE: I969 O3ii334.

1. An electrical connector device for receiving and contacting a matingelectrical connector, comprising: a body of insulation material havingfront and rear ends, a connector opening extending longitudinally fromthe front end into said body with a longitudinal axis and a rearwardlydisposed portion, and a slot intersecting said portion of said openingand extending through the rear end of said body; a contact element ofelectrically conductive material including disposed in said slot a baseportion, a positioning portion, a contact portion, a U-shaped pair ofarms frontwardly supporting said positioning and contact portions, and along resilient blade portion resiliently coupling said pair of arms tosaid base portion and rigidly interconnected to said positioningportion, said positioning and contact portions being laterallyspaced-apart and offset towards the contact portion from the axis ofsaid opening so that said positioning portion is engageable with saidmating electrical connector for positioning said contact portion withinsaid opening to make electrical contact with said connector, said pairof arms including free-ended upper portions separately joined to saidpositioning and contact portions and a central resilient bridge, one ofsaid arms rearwardly forming a junction with said resilient bridge andhaving said upper portion joined to said positioning portion, the othersaid arm including said bridge resiliently joined to said contactportions, said long resilient blade extending in a side - by - sidegenerally parallel relationship with at least a section of said arms andbeyond said section to said base portion providing a long couplinglength at least as long as said bridge portion.
 2. The device in claim 1wherein said means for holding comprises a pair of rigid blade portionsprojecting forwardly toward said front end with each blade portionincluding a stub, and front and rear pairs of recesses in said body forretaining said stubs in two different positions and thereby said contactelement in corresponding front and rear positions in said body.
 3. Thedevice as claimed in claim 2 including a spacer coupled to said contactelement and abutting a cooperating surface on said body to keep saidcontact element in one of said two different positions.
 4. The device asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient blade portion joins said basewith the upper portion of said one of said arms.
 5. The device asclaimed in claim 4, wherein said base has a rigid blade portionprojecting forwardly toward said front end, and a second resilient bladeportion joining said rigid blade portion with said one of said arms. 6.The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second resilient blade isjoined to said one of said arms adjacent the junction of said arms. 7.The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base has a rigid bladeportion projecting forwardly toward said front end and said resilientblade extends from adjacent the junction of said arms to said rigidblade portion